Project and Quality Management

55-703365
Assignment – 2021/2022

Session: 2021/2022
Module: 55-703897 - Project and Quality Management
Assignment Title: Quality Management Group Research Project
Academic Contact for guidance: Malihe Shahidan
Email: M.Shahidan@shu.ac.uk
Type of Assignment: Group Assignment
Word Count or Number of Pages: 4,000 words (+/-10%)
Percentage Contribution to overall Module Mark: 50%
Deadline for Submission: 16th December 2021
Method and Location for Submission: Blackboard & TurnitIn Submission Points
Deadline for Return of Feedback: Three working weeks after due date.
Module learning outcomes to be
assessed: To establish your ability to:
1. Identify, critically evaluate and select appropriate approaches to the development of sophisticated
quality assurance systems in contemporary businesses.
2. Apply the essential components of quality techniques and systems to a range of industrial and business
organisations.

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References/recommended reading:
 Goetsch and Davis (2015), Quality Management for Organizational Excellence
 Please also refer to other resources in the library and online to complete thorough research of the topic
such as:
o Library Catalogue (books, academic papers and journals).
o Materials supplied on Module Blackboard site.
o Support Resources available via Blackboard
Please ensure that all sources of information used are referenced correctly using APA.
For guidance see:
http://libguides.shu.ac.uk/referencing
All forms of assessments are subject to SHU regulations around academic conduct. For further
information on plagiarism, and collusion and how to avoid it, please refer to:
https://students.shu.ac.uk/shuspacecontent/assessment/plagiarism

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Assignment – 2021/2022

Project and Quality Management

Group Research Assignment 2021-22.
Module Assessment:

The module has 2 assessed elements:

 A written examination on the subject of 'project management' that will provide 50% of
your final ‘grade’.
 A group assignment task on the subject of 'quality' (outlined below) contributing 50%
of your final grade.

Assignment Topic: The use of quality management initiatives to improve products and
consumer experience.

Task

Your task is to work as a group to identify and critically evaluate an appropriate approach, to
the development of the quality assurance system for a product/service of your choice within
contemporary businesses.

To achieve that you need to demonstrate understanding of the evolution of different quality
techniques movements within selected manufacturing/ service sectors.

You are to produce a 4000 (+/-10%) word academic report which summarises the
development of quality management systems (Appendix and diagrams are not counted).

In doing so, you must research the history of quality management; discuss academic views
on its development and application in both manufacturing and service sectors. As part of
your response, you must critically contrast TQM and Six Sigma as methodologies and
explain their relevance to selected product/service by referring to real examples. You should
also discuss the benefits and risks of the implementation of these methodologies.

Note that having discussed the nature of quality in goods and services during tutorial; you will
have seen how the touch points of a product may have a much wider level of interaction with
the consumer than you may have previously considered.

You should therefore demonstrate understanding of the need to manage quality in the fullest
extent of the consumer interaction and, where appropriate, over the whole lifecycle and along
the complete supply chain of an organisation.

From an academic perspective your report should present a balanced view of the two
methodologies studied on the module and critical analysis of theory to support your
recommendations. It is stressed that your critical evaluation of the academic theory of
Quality Management will be the key to determining your marks.

It is your task to research the topic in depth and provide a structured, well-reasoned
response with appropriate reference (and use of citations) to underpin your

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discussion. All submissions must conform to the SHU standard of APA referencing
conventions.

Group Formation:

This assignment is to be carried out in groups of ideally 5 students (with minimum of 4

students). You will need to select your own group and enrol onto a group for your tutorial in
the group section of the Bb site. You must work with this group to deliver your assignment
task. These groups will need to be formed in week 6 and 7. It is strongly recommended
that you establish contact with all members of your group as soon as possible. It is
essential that you work together and contribute equally to the task.

Contribution:

All members of the group are expected to contribute equally to the task of analysing research
and preparing the report. You must work together on all aspects of the task. Whilst group
meetings are encouraged to discuss and exchange ideas, it is strongly advised that you also
use the group discussion boards, Google docs or similar on-line portal systems to work on
this task. This will assist with construction, compilation and thus contribution and will improve
access and communication between group members. There would be a milestone in
week10 to discuss your progress/ issues with your tutor on tutorial session.

If you encounter difficulties with your group, inform your tutor in progress review session.
However, please remember that this module is about project and quality management. It is
an opportunity for you to develop your management, leadership, influencing and inter-
personal skills. Groups that work well together generally tend to get better marks.

Drafting Your Work

There is a folder in the assessment tab of the Bb site that will help with drafting your work.
This includes links to referencing, plagiarism and draft TurnitIn submission points. You can
submit drafts to the 'Draft TurnitIn Submission Point' as many times as you like to check your
work.

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Report name and submission

Your final group report: Submission must be submitted electronically via both the 'Quality
Management Group Assignment SUBMISSION POINT' and the 'TurnitIn' submission point
marked 'Final Quality Management TurnitIn Submission Point'. These can both be found
on the blackboard module site in the assessment tab. The file should be saved and
uploaded by one member of the group and the name of file must include:

Tutorial number and group number at the beginning of the file name

i.e. "Tutorial 6-1-P&MQ course work". Please upload your work as a word document and
ensure all names of group members are included in report and formatting is correct before
submission.

The deadline is 16th December 2021 by 15:00 pm. You will have 24 hours to submit
after this but without extenuating circumstances your work will be capped at 50%.
Any element submitted after 15:00 deadline without prior arrangement or exceptional
circumstances request may result in an award of zero marks for the task.

Support

Your lecturer/Tutors will be available to discuss your progress and to provide some direction
with your research. This will be provided at class tutorials, by prior arrangement to meet with
the lecturer, or by e-mail response within 3 working days of your request. A marking scheme
for the report can be found attached.

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REPORT MARKING SCHEME

Project and Quality Management Group Research Assignment